We wake with a sprinkling of snow on the tents and ice crystals in our water bottles. The snow has also given the north face of Mt. Kailash a new look. We set off at nine for the Droma La / Tara Pass, the highest point on the kora. At 18,600 feet it is 2400 [...]
Archive for June 5th, 2010
May 24 — Droma La / Tara Pass
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May 23 — Dirapuk Monastery
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We have a free day before climbing over Drolma Pass. While most of the others go off to explore a glacier at the base of Mt. Kailash, I stay at camp to write. Then late in the morning I walk up to the monastery. I gravitate to a cave at the back of the monastery [...]
May 22 — The Kora begins
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We start off with first light, about 8 am. We follow a river stream up a wide valley. Initially, it is a very gradual ascent. We walk silently. I settle into my steps and my body. I call to mind individual people in my life, in my family, in the Still Water community, old friends, [...]
May 21 — Darchen (Great Flag)
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After 8 hours of driving we arrive in the village of Darchen (altitude of 15, 100 feet), the starting and ending point for the Mt. Kailash Kora (circumambulation). The town is pretty bleak: two or three wide unpaved streets and trash strewn everywhere. There are Tibetan guest houses, a few “supermarkets” selling general supplies, and [...]
